Hunger in the Darkness - Expedition to the Mines of Zolurket (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Cynara spins around, unable to resolve any of the details other than Padrym's absence. She readies her spear.

I'll have a map up tonight that will help with the spatial disorientation and positioning. Depending on your choices... this will get interesting...

Love sends a crossbow bolt flying towards the distant figure and is rewarded with what looks to be a strike as there is a momentary stumble before it's flight continues. The glowing figure is then lost to your eyes as it passes behind the central structure.

You are currently ~40ft from Padrym, who is about another ~40ft from the portcullis at the entrance to the Stockades.

Please give me roughly a rounds worth of continuing actions so I can progress the scenario.

Feigr brings his hand up and sends a prayer to Magrim, "Shield me so I do not bring danger to my friends again through my weakness." Casts shield of faith.

Lacking a ranged weapon and far from his party, Padrym watches the glowing figure flee.

Rough Map - scale is indicative only

Khepri is torn from wanting to help Padrym to avoiding leaving a group exposed. For now he will remain with the larger group to help defend them. If the group moves then Khepri will move with them until an actual target presents itself, and at that point he will probably attack it if it is evil.

"Ha! Got him! That should slow it down. C'mon lets catch up with Steelhead."

Love will shepherd the group up to Padrym and see what there is to see. That should take at least a round.

Psst Padrym.... you have a +2 str comp short bow according to your equip list. I think you could have got a shot off. Move action to ready bow, seathing sword as part of that action as you are bab +1 or better, and then a shot at range ~40-60. Unlikely to kill but everylittle bit helps.

Not sure you can draw a weapon and sheathe a weapon at the same time.

Not sure you can draw a weapon and sheathe a weapon at the same time.

RAW at least it looks like you can so long as you are BAB+1 or better. Sheathing a weapon is a normal move action and if you have the BAB you can combine readying a weapon with a normal move action. You also have the option of dropping Magatha (free) Readying the bow (move) and taking the shot (standard). I can see why you didn't this was a good way to illustrate the weapon's hold over you. It shares your thoughts and since it could not reach the target the idea of using a different weapon, much less dropping Magatha simply never occurred. Well played.

I can see why you didn't this was a good way to illustrate the weapon's hold over you. It shares your thoughts and since it could not reach the target the idea of using a different weapon, much less dropping Magatha simply never occurred. Well played.

That's pretty much it exactly. I have the bow for when I absolutely need it but now that I'm actually in the mine it's going to be hard for Padrym to put Magatha down.

Feigr follows along with Love's plan to regroup by Padrym.

Khepri will stay with the group, but placing himself near the inside

Cynara follows along, trying to keep close to the wall.

Dolgrym huffed to follow up to Padrym. "Can't be running off on us, lad. Bad things in here, you know.

The group is able to join back up with their errant magus Padrym without any further incident. The glowing figure has not emerged back into your sightline, and all is quiet and still...

Next step?

"Well, he knows we are here now. I suspect he's going to grab some of his stalker friends and come back and say hello.

"Sorry I couldn't catch him, he was just too fast for me. I lit him up but that spell won't last long."

"What was he doing at the gate?"

...asks the elf, anticipating that our nefarious dark stalker has employed a bottle of sovereign glue to our detriment.

"So pursue him while the spell lasts or to the gate? I think we'd better go see what he has done at the gate."

"Best the gate. We know they'll be back but we need to make sure our line of retreat is secure."

You move to the gate safely and find that the point where the bars make contact with stone is marked by a clear resinous substance.

Know. Arcana 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

"I'm afraid you are correct, Padrym. He has glued this gate together with an alchemical substance."

Love squats down and examines the substance.
Craft alchemy, untrained: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 rats.

"Looks different than the usual quick glues. Know what it is?"

K. Arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"Damn. I learned of this stuff in the Ninth. It's sovereign glue. We're not getting it off without something powerful. Magatha could eventually chew through the bars but the noise would attract every foul denizen of this place to us."

"Without some universal solvent, we'd have a better chance tearing a hole in the gate than getting that glue to lose its grip. And I don't have ay solvent..."

Love chuckles
"So that's what the stuff looks like. Well looks like I get to see if Jackie One-eye was lying."

Love rummages in his pack and removes a stoppered flask of thick dark glass.

Love cuts the stopper free and a thick liquid pours out coating the glue. The bonding agent quickly begins to bubble, smoke, and run down the gate. There is a faint smell of pine.

"There. Gate will open now. Though that was my only dose of the stuff. So back to report of try to clear this stockade?"

used universal solvent. Sigh only dose too.

As Love pours his valuable solvent unto the resin, it does indeed lose it's bond and allow the portcullis to move free from the floor once more.

And then?

"I think we need to report on what we've found. Besides, they may have more of that glue, and we don't have any more of the solvent."

Feigr lowers his voice, "They might have more glue than you do solvent. I don't think we should leave our exit unguarded and I worry about the risk if we split up. So that leaves us with pretending to be trapped and seeing if it draws them out or returning to report and coming back here with a plan to deal with this situation next time."

"Let us stand here for a time and see if they attack. My only worry is that appearing to be trapped and being trapped are much the same. We'd have a hard time of opening the gate if we need to retreat in such a situation."

Padrym eyes the area with a mind towards defense and retreat.

"But if we stand here and are attacked, we can't retreat unless one of us raises the portcullis from the control room. It seems that we need to defend two points, which is rather more challenging."

"Remember, we were sent here on a proper reconnaissance.mission. I hope we've got a decent start on that this day. To report back and rest, would probably be the smarter maneuver."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Perception, canny: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28. Ha!

Whisper. "Company. Stalker watching from the central tower."

Normal voice. "Back out or here but decide fast. I don't fancy playing target dummy."

Love makes a point of keeping at least one party member between himself and the could-be sniper in the window.

"Let's move out. I'd rather come back when we have our own plan for how to deal with this rather than reacting to the dark stalkers."

Choices, choices.

Just a reminder, need an actual IC non-speech action that you're leaving before I'll progress story.

"Let's go, no sense letting them trap us for sure."

Padrym stands ready as the gate is raised and the rest exit the area.

As the portcullis is raised, you all manage to see a dark stalker emerge from the central structure as you retreat. His emotionless eyes follow your flight, as he brings a hand to his mouth.

Cynara tilts her head as the party leaves, listening intently. "Well, well. If my ears don't deceive me, he's whistling up some reinforcements. Bats would be my guess."

Perception, canny 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

"Ah, a whistle. Thought it was a potion."

As he passes through the gate Love takes a parting shot at our whistler.

Move action exit gate, standard Twang! Attack, light crossbow, assuming 60' range: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13. Very unlikely but damage anyway:1d8 ⇒ 7

Khepri makes sure he is ready for a fight if the whistle bring re-enforcements.

"A whistle, eh? I'd best keep my hammer handy then." Feigr keeps his hammer handy as the group moves back out of the stockade.

"Let's get out of here. We made some progress today, and can make more tomorrow, whether or not they have whistles."

Love's speculative shot flies wide as the party retreats out the entryway. It does not seem to make any effort to follow, but Cynara hears the whistle's shrill note stuck several more times as you move.

Just for clarity, straight back to the entrance the way you came?
And is Khepri still lit up?

Still lit, yes

Like the new look Khepri. :7)

"Come on, no stragglers. Back the way we came and double time."

Love will take the tailing position. Acting as a 'sweeper' to make sure no one goes astray.

Dolgrym huffs and puffs, trying to keep up the quick little jog the group was using to get out of the mine. "I think we have some .....(huff) good info for the others," he wheezed out loud to no one in particular, justifying the quick departure.

Thats what I get posting on my phone!

Seems like this one is appropriate: "Welcome to the deep end of the alignment pool."